Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind: Book 1
by Kalliscope
Summary: Delving into Joel and Ellies first encounter and eventual kinship with a female Hunter named Izzy. From her mourning of innocence lost to her insatiable bloodlust, Joel eventually realizes all she needs is a bullet to the brain. But Ellie won't let him pull the trigger.
1. Chapter 1

**_Please love my story. Updates are based on reviews. Last time I will ask because I don't know what makes you people review but - I need to stop before I say something stupid._**

 ** _Updates on Saturdays when finished._**

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Because when they met her, they were running for their lives.

Just shy of twenty members, the Hunters were on them like a pack of wolves. Joel let loose his last smoke bomb, at the head of the stairs so when he and Ellie dove under the steps - tucked snuggly between overturned, piss stained filing cabinets and moldy stacks of books - and that disoriented the Hunters. Joel kept Ellie behind him and his pistol in his free hand, in case one of those bastards found them.

As they kicked over bookshelves and snarled at each other, _she_ pranced down the steps. Tight jeans and a bloody t -shirt, she cocked a hip and twirled a long, serated machete in her left hand. The room grew quiet and all eyes fell on her. Joel expected them to jump her, instead one of them began to plead with her.

"Please, please - we'll find them, we will!"

She sighed and swung the machete up in one, easy movement. It sliced clean through his bottom jaw and nasal cavity, leaving blood to gush and ebb from a dead body. She balanced the blade on her shoulder and looked to the men, who watched in genuine fear as she hung her head and massaged her brow with her free hand.

"The fourth fuck up on this trip," she spat. "What the hell is wrong with you people? I mean - this is routine -"

"But its that crazy man and the little girl!"

Joel watched in terror as she drove her machete into his skull, severing his head with another stroke. The other men leapt back, one raising his bat a little as she huffed and lingered over the dead body. She straightened her back and the machete dangled at her side. She brushed her hair back from her cheeks and breathed in deeply, returning her attention to what remained of her group.

"What have I said about interrupting me?"

"To not to," three of them murmured.

She snorted. "Now, spread out and alert the others that we have two rogues in the city. I want the truck moving in further and stock the gate to the bridge."

No, no she was cutting off all of their escape routes. She was destroying everything. Joel tightened his grip on the pistol in his hand and bore his teeth. No, he wouldn't let her get her hands on Ellie. He had to keep her safe. He had to kill this woman.

She breathed in deeply and looked around the room before turning around. And locking eyes with Joel.

"Now," she smirked. "How about we have a little chat."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Eek, my excuse for being so damn late updating? No phone. I just got a new one and should be able to update pretty regularly now. To those that have reviewed, fav'd and followed - BLESS YOU!**_

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He doesn't trust her and that makes things difficult. Because she isn't attacking and she killed her own, sent them away instead of having the men wrangle them up like hogs for the slaughter.

She twirls her machete lazily, a small smile to her lips and Joel looks over at Ellie. She's not focused on him, she's focused on the confusing woman in front of them. She _knew_ they were there when the men were still here, but why didn't she send them after Joel and Ellie? It was a concern that was bothering Joel, but his legs spoke on their own and made him stand. Ellie followed suit, keeping close to Joel's back, eyes darting all around the room and making sure this wasn't a trick.

"I'm impressed," the strange spoke. "One ma and a girl without a gun, taking out half of my men? Congratulations - I don't get impressed very easily."

"What the hell do you want," Joel snarls, gun clenched tightly in his hand.

Her eyes flicker to it, back to him, and he sees the cold eyes of a killer, the manic of a psychopath. It's in the way she stands and the way her hand tightens impossibly so around the handle of her machete, which still drips red. She's small and she's strong, dangerous, and the survivor inside of Joel says if she wanted to attack them she would have already. But she hasn't and that brings only slight comfort.

"How about names first, lets start with names," she grins. "It's only polite."

"Joel," he barks. "Don't worry about the kid."

"Ellie," the teenager glares up at Joel. "My name is _Ellie_."

The mystery woman bows. "Izzy, at your service," she straightens. "As for why I let you _live_ \- curiosity. One of my worst traits, but I had to know...sure, I've seen fathers fight for their children. But she isn't yours, hmm? Your attacks are savage and desperate, there's something you need to do and judging by the fear in that girls eyes _she_ has something to do with your reasons so I wanted you to indulge me."

"Fat chance," Ellie gripes.

Izzy chuckles. "Come now, if I wanted you dead, you'd be in the pan for supper already so..." she eyes Joel. " _Indulge_ me."

He hesitated, looks around for a threat and something in her softens. She sheaths her machete and clasps her hands in front of her, cocking her head to the right.

"A safe room is in the basement," she suggests.

He narrows his eyes, but there's not a lot of options. He hears them coming back and she takes notice. She points to a rickety wooden door with the faded sign ' _Employees Only_ ' nailed to it and Joel reluctantly drags Ellie along. He keeps her close and watches from the cracked door as Izzy converses with a hunter. He's big and burly but timid when she snarls at him to _keep looking_.

"No smoke breaks, no rest stops. You find then and you do it _now!_ I hear one more excuse I will fucking cut you in half, ya hear me? David is the least of your concerns!"

At the mention of _David_ he really shit himself and hightailed it out of the building, two more men flanking him, but one split off in a different direction outside the door.

Izzy huffed and turned on her heel, approaching the door Joel and Ellie were watching from. Ellie went ahead of Joel down the steps, eyes wandering in curiosity at the towering shelves of books covered in dust, some with hints of mold. Light streamed down from small windows above their heads, open for ventilation and rusted at the hinges. Ellie sat at a small, square table in the corner of the room, lying her head on her folded arms. Joel paced uneasily, keeping his eyes on the stairs when he heard the door click shut.

"Dumb oafs," Izzy chirped, bounding down the steps and smiling when she saw Joel glaring at her. "I come in peace."

"No you don't," he spat. "Never seen a female Hunter, how'd you manage to pull _that_ one off."

She paused then shrugged, walking over to where Ellie was sitting. "A show of strength pleases any savage," she plunked down in the chair across from Ellie, ignoring the revolver pointed at her face; she winked at Ellie. "Their leader watched me hack down about a dozen of his men before apprehending me. Convinced me to stay, and I did. A town full of blood thirsty men and me, a woman at the right hand of their leader - well, left hand, he already has a right hand man," she chuckled. "It's a pretty cushy life, if I do say so myself. Except this time," she pointed at Joel. "You became a real pain in the ass the moment you fought off our ambush. But now I'm thinking we can help each other out."

Joel never lowered his gun, but Ellie seemed pretty relaxed around the crazy bitch so he was a little convinced maybe she could become...okay.

"What do you have in mind?"

She grinned maniacally. "I've grown tired of David and his wavering sanity. He's made some bad calls, gotten my men killed. They want me to lead and if I refuse, I get kicked out. I have no choice in the matter and it _pisses me off_. Those men I killed back there? _A warm up_ compared to what I want to do. I help you fight your way out of this city and I get to tag along."

Joel raised an eyebrow. "And?"

" _And_ ," she leaned forward, jerking her thumb at Ellie. "You tell me what so special about this girl right here? She isn't your kid, so why the hell are you protecting her like this?"

Joel breathed noisily through his nose then released the breath in one gust through his mouth. "We'll see," he lowered his arm but the revolver stayed out. "I tell you and you lay one finger on her, I'll torture you in ways ya can't imagine, got me?"

She cooed. "Wouldn't have it any other w


End file.
